The Brooklyn Museum’s new exhibit, “Roots of the Dinner Party”, tackles a problem I can only assume curators find themselves faced with frequently: How do you make a well-known exhibit, seem exciting to people who presumably know a decent amount about it?

For those who don’t know, “The Dinner Party” is an iconic piece of feminist artwork constructed by Judy Chicago in 1979. The piece blossomed from Chicago’s disdain of men’s prominent placement throughout recorded history, while the women working in the background (and often times serving the men in question) rarely got a passing mention. The piece sets an imaginary ceremonial banquet, akin to a female “Last Supper”, where each of the thirty-nine place-settings honors an important woman from history.  Each place-setting consists of textile runners, metallic chalices, and individualized porcelain plates, crafted and nuanced specifically for the woman in question.

Chicago wanted to use this exhibit as an opportunity to educate. Her goal: teach people about famous female figures that were most likely left out of a more traditional retelling of history. Chicago also wanted to use it as an opportunity to reclaim more “feminine” forms of art like textile work or the molding of porcelain plates to create something that honors the women that, she believed, paved the way for her and her artistic success.

Upon its initial release, the piece was frowned upon due to the plates’ vulvar shape and design (a recurring motif throughout Chicago’s early work) and many museums dropped out of the piece’s initial tour around the country. Regardless, people flocked to see it at the Brooklyn Museum, which was one of the few places left still willing to show it. Years later, thanks to the Museum’s “Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art”, the mixed media piece is kept permanently in-house at the Brooklyn Museum.     

The Dinner Party has enjoyed a lasting historical impact. Often referred to as the “first epic feminist artwork”, the piece has influenced many future mixed-media exhibits and feminist works. It’s legacy continues to be very prevalent in certain circles, to the point where some students on our group trip had already learned about “The Dinner Party” in high school.

“Roots of the Dinner Party”, the current accompanying exhibit to the eponymous piece, was faced with a challenging feat from the get-go. The exhibit had to be well crafted enough to warrant its placement next to such a famed work of art, plus it had to add to the experience of the original Judy Chicago piece. This goes back to the question I raised at the beginning of the review: How do you make a well-known exhibit, seem exciting to people who presumably know a decent amount about it?    

Curator Carmen Hermo, the creative force behind “Roots of the Dinner Party”, took an immersive route, enveloping us in the early work of Judy Chicago and the story behind the piece’s creation. She spent numerous weeks with Chicago herself, cultivating knowledge and anecdotes about the artwork’s five year construction. She dug up other pieces Chicago had been working on at the time, documented every person who devoted their time to the manifestation of Chicago’s vision, and even left out the original “Comment Books” signed by people who had witnessed the exhibit when it first premiered in 1979. This added perspective, really enhanced my experience of touring the piece itself. Knowing about the construction of the piece and the headspace of Chicago, really helped me to understand and appreciate the artist’s intention.

I think it’s a no-brainer that people should visit “The Dinner Party.” The piece’s legacy speaks for itself. But if you are up for a comprehensive look into the artistry and history of the iconic work, catch “Roots” while it’s still running in conjunction with the ever-present “Dinner Party”. You’ll be happy you did.